Journal of Geophysical Research

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Abstract

From a casual observation that the form of degraded fault scarps resembles the error function, this investigation proceeds through an elementary diffusion equation representation of landform evolution to the application of the resulting equations to the modern topography of scarplike landforms. The value of K = 1 GKG (K = 'mass diffusivity'; 1 GKG = 1m2/ka) may be generally applicable as a good first approximation, to the modification of alluvial terranes within the semiarid regions of the western United States. The Lake Bonneville shoreline K is the basis for dating four sets of fault scarps in west-central Utah. The Drum Mountains fault scarps date at 3.6 to 5.7 ka BP. Fault scarps along the eastern base of the Fish Springs Range are very young, 3 ka BP. We estimate the age of fault scarps along the western flank of the Oquirrh Mountains to be 32 ka B.P. Fault scarps along the NE margin of the Sheeprock Mountains are even older, 53 ka BP. -from Authors